American Idol alums such as Jennifer Hudson and Clay Aiken are mourning the loss of head vocal coach Debra Byrd, who died March 5 at age 72. But before Byrd left her mark on shows like The Voice and Canadian Idol, the vocalist struck up a decades-long friendship with famous crooner Barry Manilow.
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‘I Will Miss You Forever:’ Barry Manilow Mourns ‘Wonderful Friend’ Debra Byrd
The “Copacabana” singer, 80, called Byrd’s death “one of the saddest days of my life” as he shared a throwback picture of the two on his social media.
“I just can’t wrap my mind around the fact that Debra is no longer with me,” Manilow wrote on X/Twitter. “She was one of the most wonderful friends I’ve ever had. I will miss you forever, my love.”
Debra Byrd and Barry Manilow Date Back to the ’70s
Byrd was a member of the musical trio Lady Flash, who performed as Manilow’s featured backup singers from 1974-1979. During that time, the three women sang backing vocals during Manilow’s live performances and on his first seven multi-platinum albums.
[RELATED: 8 Songs You Didn’t Know Barry Manilow Wrote for Other Artists]
They were by his side during 1977’s Emmy-winning The Barry Manilow Special, as well as several TV shows such as American Bandstand and Donahue.
Manilow also produced the trio’s only album, 1976’s Beauties in the Night. The GRAMMY winner was instrumental in Lady Flash’s only hit, “Street Singin’.” Manilow wrote and arranged the track, which reached the No. 27 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
‘Debra Was Amazing:’ Fans Grieve Alongside Barry Manilow
After Byrd’s death, support for Manilow poured in on social media.
“Oh my God! This is so sad,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter. “Debra was amazing! We loved seeing her when she toured with you!”
“My deep condolences,” another X user wrote. “Her golden voice is singing with the angels now.”
Debra Byrd Was Responsible for Vocal Production on Prince Super Bowl Tribute
Byrd was a vocal coach on American Idol for 10 seasons before moving to The Voice. Hudson credits her with single-handedly getting rid of the EGOT winner’s “gospel jaw.”
“I could be performing in a show, and they’d say, go to Byrd, she’ll fix it,” the singer said in October 2013. “And I would.”
Byrd’s vocals have reverberated throughout history, appearing in projects such as The Lion King, 2 1/2 and Sister Act II. She amassed a vast repository of musician mentees, including Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Carly Rae Jepsen.
(Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Capital Concerts)
